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Sky Sox Walk Off With Game, Series 10-9

Jay Payton continued his torrid hitting and laced a walk-off single to center in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Sky Sox came from behind to beat the Salt Lake Bees 10-9 on Sunday afternoon at Security Service Field in front of 4,284 fans.

Trailing 9-8 heading into their final half inning, the Sox took advantage of a wild pitching performance by Ysmael Carmona. Travis Metcalf led off the inning with a walk and was sacrificed to second by Chris Frey before Carmona walked Paul Phillips and Kaz Matsui to load the bases with one out. Carmona then struck out Cole Garner to push the Sox to their final out as Payton walked to the plate. Carmona's first pitch went all the way to the backstop as the wild pitch allowed Metcalf to scamper home and tie the game. Payton then worked the count full and on the eighth pitch of the at bat lined a single up the middle and past a diving second baseman to score Phillips and send the Sox home winners. Payton turned in his fourth straight three-hit game and drove in three runs, including the game winner, as he pushed his season average to .334.

The victory not only gave the Sox a 4-1 series win against the Bees but also gave them a 9-7 season series win which marks the first time the Sky Sox have defeated the Bees in a season series since 2004.

Both the Sky Sox and Bees were hitting the cover off the ball as the two teams combined for 31 hits (Salt Lake 16, Colorado Springs 15) and 19 runs. Every hitter for both sides recorded at least one hit. With the offensive explosion, Edgmer Escalona (3-5) picked up the win coming out of the bullpen as he worked a scoreless ninth and Carmona (0-1) got the loss.

Alan Johnson started the game for the Sox and gave up eight runs on 13 hits in five innings of work while Ryan Vogelsong started for Salt Lake and surrendered four runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings.

The Sky Sox travel to division leading Tacoma Monday for a four-game series. Lefty Josh Muecke (6-7, 5.24) will start for the Sox against left-hander Mauricio Robles (1-1, 4.50)